Review: Review: Mel Buttle at Hamer Hall

Review by Liz Baldwin

The prestigious Hamer Hall stage is a far cry from Ipswich, but Mel Buttle looked right at home. The beloved comedian’s tales from the frontlines of life were a hit among the predominantly over-40s female audience, and their dragged-along husbands – and everyone else besides.

Nath Volvo warmed up the crowd with skill, engaging the audience with energy and winning a few big laughs early on.

But Buttle was the main attraction. She’s most recognised for her online sketches of ‘Lyn’, a typical Aussie mum character. She openly acknowledges the irony that a character she created to satirise suburban mums ended up being her biggest calling card to that audience – fortunate, as it’s a demographic she describes as "the only people with any money to spend these days". But something in the depiction – not least, having quotidian concerns elevated to the main stage at Hamer Hall, even if lightly mocked – clearly resonates. 

Buttle tells stories of family life both contemporary – IVF clinics, Montessori childcares – and past. She drew heavily from the well of the 1980s, painting vivid pictures of a time when life's choices were terrifyingly (or refreshingly, depending on your point of view) limited. Her riffs on the era's culinary and entertainment monotony were a huge hit, as were her observations on how family roles – children’s and parents’ – have changed. Her jokes aren’t sanitised, but they are mostly without malice or target – a non-divisive brand of comedy that is increasingly rare.

Her distinctly Australian sensibility defines Buttle’s comedy – her down-to-earth charm fills the room effortlessly. Her observations feel specific yet clearly resonate with a wide audience. Where some comics who come to prominence online struggle to make the leap to hour-long sets on a main stage, Buttle appears at ease commanding the room and comfortable working with the flexibility of a longer format. 

The Hamer Hall audience clearly appreciated having their shared experiences given centre stage, laughing with recognition at material that celebrated rather than mocked their lives. Buttle's ability to find humour in the mundane without punching down makes her comedy feel warm and inclusive rather than sharp-edged.

While some of the material treaded familiar ground – 80s nostalgia is hardly uncharted territory – Buttle's authentic voice and natural likability guaranteed a fun night out. Her performance reminded audiences that effective comedy doesn't need to be revolutionary to be thoroughly entertaining.

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